1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to electronic monitors, such as those used on computers and televisions and, more particularly, to a system for strategically covering the monitors to integrate them into the décor of a room in which they reside.
2. Background Art
The proliferation of computers and flat screen televisions has led to the placement of a multitude of monitors throughout residences and businesses. It is not uncommon to see multiple monitors in a single room, as in home offices, bedrooms, living rooms, etc.
Developing technology has allowed monitors to be made with a minimal depth and with a square front that consists of the projection area with but a modest width of frame therearound. This structural compaction has allowed users to select large monitors without having to contend with obtrusive cabinetry that was typical of earlier tube technology.
Current monitor design lends itself to different types of support. Brackets are commonly used to wall mount monitors. Alternatively, stands are used to support the monitors upon horizontal surfaces such as on the tops of tables, cabinet shelves, desks, etc.
These large monitors, by reason of their size and clarity, are visually dramatic when in use. However, when the monitors are not in use, they are equally dramatic in terms of dominating large areas of rooms in which they reside. Generally, the monitors will have a black front projection area, with the surrounding frames offered in different colors for aesthetic coordination.
With the monitors shut down, users contend with primarily two different problems. First of all, the monitors not only act as receptacles for dust, but tend to attract dust particles. Heated plastic components having exposed surfaces commonly become electrically charged, as a result of which they tend to draw and cause the adherence of dust particles.
The attraction of dust particles creates aesthetic and potentially operational problems. Accumulated dust may have to be periodically removed by a user to avoid an unsightly appearance of the monitor in a room. Repeated cleaning, particularly of the monitor surface through which images are seen, may cause scratching and eventually detract from the quality of the projected image.
Further, the venting systems used by these monitors typically will consist of upper vent openings that provide passages for egress of particles to within the monitor housing wherein they might accumulate on electronic components. Significant accumulation of particles upon working components may lead to overheating and eventually component failure. This latter condition is aggravated by manual dust removal that often causes the inadvertent direction of particles through the vent openings to within the housing.
As noted above, another significant drawback with large monitors, be they wall or table mounted, is that they often visually dominate portions, or the entirety of, a wall or room. The monitors may thus significantly detract from the décor in a room that may have been designed with a carefully selected theme or style that is not compatible with the presence of the monitors.
This problem has been recognized for many years and, since the introduction of this flat screen technology, many attempts have been made to integrate the monitors into a room décor. One such attempted solution is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 7,312,836 (Maxson), which shows a cover panel component that can be selectively moved to block and expose a front region of a monitor. The structure in Maxson requires a fairly elaborate mounting system that may be quite expensive and also take up a significant amount of space in addition to that occupied by the monitor itself. Maxson's structure does not appear to be configured to protect, particularly the vent region of the monitors, from dust accumulation and, in fact, may complicate access to this and other areas for cleaning and creates additional contours that must be accessed, potentially inconveniently, to extract dust.
Further, in the event that the front component is not repositioned after monitor use to cover the same, it represents an obtrusive frontal projection that potentially is more visually offensive than the monitor alone.
It is also known to provide relatively expensive cabinetry to define a receptacle for a monitor. While this approach does eliminate much of the dust accumulation problem, it generally will involve a significant expense and structure that potentially becomes dominant to the eye to the point that it performs counterproductively in terms of hiding the presence of the monitor when not in use.
In spite of the long-recognized desirability of protecting and integrating monitors into a room décor, the inventor herein knows of no commercial options that are feasible. To be practical, the system must be such that it can be conveniently reconfigured by a user. Otherwise, the system is likely not to be employed or to be left in a single state which may ultimately defeat its purpose. The system must be practical also from an economic standpoint. Further, ideally the system would not add appreciably to the space occupied by the monitor itself. Still further, the system should be such that it is capable of causing the monitors to blend into, or otherwise be compatible with, surrounding décor. Additionally, the system should not in any way impair or compromise the use or function of the monitor.
Many of the above design objectives compete with each other and it is believed that this may have contributed to the fact that no viable systems have been devised for commercial use to this date. That is in spite of the fact that the number of monitors existing in homes and businesses continues to increase.